Online Reporter
Los Angeles Lakers standout LeBron James missed Tuesday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs due to left foot arthritis, an absence that makes him ineligible for All-NBA recognition and major awards this season.
The game is James’ 18th missed contest of the season and prevents him from playing in 65 games, the minimum number of games to be eligible for All-NBA and other honors. James has been named to an All-NBA team in a record 21 straight seasons.
James, 41, has played in 35 games this season and is averaging 21.8 points, 6.9 assists and 5.7 rebounds. He was second-team All-NBA last season. His most recent first-team All-NBA selection was the 2019-20 season.
Victor Wembanyama scored 37 of his 40 points in the first half, Carter Bryant added 16 points off the bench and the visiting San Antonio Spurs turned a fast start into a dominating 135-108 victory over the short-handed Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.
Dylan Harper scored 15 points and Harrison Barnes added 11 as the Spurs matched a season high with their fifth consecutive victory. Stephon Castle had seven assists in 12 minutes before he departed after sustaining a pelvic contusion in the second quarter and did not return.
Wembanyama also had 12 rebounds while going 13 of 20 from the floor and left for good in the third quarter with the game well in hand.
The Spurs won the season series 3-1 over the Lakers, who were missing Luka Doncic (hamstring), LeBron James (foot), Austin Reaves (calf) Deandre Ayton (knee) and Marcus Smart (ankle).
Drew Timme and Luke Kennard each scored 14 points for the Lakers, who have lost consecutive games for the first time since Jan. 15-17. Bronny James had a season-high 12 points in 25 minutes for Los Angeles.
While Doncic missed his third consecutive game, James and Reaves were out on the second night of a back-to-back.
Meanwhile, Dillon Brooks scored 15 of his 23 points in the first quarter, Devin Booker added 19 points, and the host Phoenix Suns broke a three-game home losing streak with a 120-111 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday.
Mark Williams scored 13 points, Oso Ighodaro had 10 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, and Royce O’Neale chipped in 12 points for the Suns, who led by 31 late in the second quarter before holding on.
Naji Marshall scored 31 points off the bench and Cooper Flagg scored 27 points for the Mavericks, who have lost eight in a row — the last three after sending Anthony Davis to Washington at the trade deadline.
Marshall’s floater brought the Mavericks within 115-109 with 2:09 remaining, the closest the Mavs had been since the first quarter, before Booker made a jumper and a free throw for a nine-point cushion. P.J. Washington and Brooks traded baskets to end the scoring.
O’Neale made four 3-pointers and Booker made three as the Suns went 16 of 50 from distance. Dallas was 5 of 22, Marshall and Washington hitting two apiece.
Elsewhere, Kevin Durant and Alperen Sengun combined for 48 points as the Houston Rockets turned a rally to start the fourth quarter into a 102-95 victory over the visiting Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday.
Durant scored 26 points and hit three 3-pointers while Sengun tallied 22 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Amen Thompson added 16 points and six rebounds for the Rockets, and his transition dunk with 11:20 remaining gave the Rockets their first double-digit lead at 83-72. Kawhi Leonard totaled 24 points and eight rebounds for his 32nd consecutive 20-point game, while John Collins had 17 points and eight rebounds for the Clippers.
Leonard and Collins were the lone double-digit scorers for the Clippers, who emptied their bench down 15 with 5:28 left -Reuters.
Mathew Masinge